CompTIA Network+ CE Certification

On January 30th 2023 I successfully passed the CompTIA Network+ CE exam. Here I'd like to share my thoughts and experiences with studying towards and taking the exam.

What training resources did I use to study for the Network+?

I used a number of methods to study, along with using my existing knowledge from previously being a Helpdesk Analyst and from setting up my home networks and labs. Other methods I used are:

• The official Study Guide from Sybex. I read through the book alongside other study methods to get a good foundational knowledge of the content. I must say that although it generally well written and I recommend reading the book, I did come across a couple of errors in the text as well as at least one of the questions where the answer given was actually incorrect (confirmed by a trainer I consulted).

• I was incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity of a mentoring group internally provided by my current company and run by one of their training experts. We met weekly, reviewing the material from the Study guide and having discussions and quizzes to help enforce the knowledge and identify any weaknesses. This really was a great tool as it gave me the opportunity to query topics that I wasn't overly confident on.

• LinkedIn Learning has a number of courses and I watched through the one presented by Mike Chapple. The content was pretty much from the Study Guide but with the benefit of embellishments and descriptions with visuals from Mike. I think that having the intakes of visual and audible learning is a massive benefit giving your brain different ways to absorb the information.

• I watched the videos provided by Professor Messer as these gave an alternative take on the topics, providing his own explanations and visual content. These videos were great to help understanding and the reinforce the information being taken in. I would encourage anyone studying for or looking to study for the Network+ to watch them. You can view them all for free on YouTube or visit his site where you can purchase his full course which includes other learning materials. Home - Professor Messer IT Certification Training - CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+ - (no affiliation to Professor Messer or his site / content, I just think it's really good!)

It's a lot of information and content to take in, trying to memorise Ports, Subnet calculators, IEEE standards, what's at what layer of the OSI model and what it does / how it interacts with other layers etc., so time is required to take it all in. After all this learning it's time to take the exam.

What's it like taking the exam?

I sat the exam via OnVue, Pearson Vue's online testing platform as there wasn't a local test centre offering the exam. It's a relatively easy way to take the exam, you just need a laptop in a quiet room free of other people and anything that could be used to cheat.

Having done practice tests from the Study Guide and via Wiley's online Sybex Test Prep practice exam website can can whole heartedly say that they DO NOT prepare you for the style nor content of the exam questions - and it was a bit of a shock for me, even after the performance based questions. This was the second online exam I'd taken and the nerves didn't get any better. Questions are annoyingly vague but this is to 1: make you think about the situation they are describing and 2: test your knowledge and real understanding. The biggest piece of advice I could offer for anyone taking this, or any exam for that matter, would be to READ THE QUESTION! It's so important to read it properly and understand what it's asking, I've been caught out so many times by misinterpreting a cleverly worded question.

What are your take aways from gaining the certification?

Studying the syllabus has not only reinforced what I already knew but taught me so much more. A lot of it I will never need ever again (much the same with any subject) but having the knowledge and knowing where to find it again if I forget will be a great help in the future.

The benefit of actually taking and passing the exam is twofold. Not only does it give me a sense of pride and self belief but I can now prove my abilities to potential employers and demonstrate that I can and am willing to learn and am serious about what I want to do. 

To anyone studying towards or looking to take this exam, Good Luck and don't rely on just one source of learning. There's loads of free content out there, especially on YouTube and whenever you think you're ready to sit the exam, by all means book it in but do a lot more studying 😉.